Nursing App Reference Letters

[kellmoiselle]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum and I will be applying to Watts School of Nursing in Durham NC very soon. My question is, I am required to give three reference forms (they include a rating scale on various issues regarding the applicant, a few questions, and they also need to know in what context you know the applicant.) I can get these from my past employer in NC, but I was hoping to have more of a variety since it was an Architectural firm I worked for and isn't related to nursing really.

Currently I live in CA and work for very large well known university as an assistant to researchers and professors in Biology. It would be ideal to have some references from some of the profs and researchers I assist but I do not want to place my job in jeopardy not knowing if I have been accepted or not. Soooo....I am wondering if it would be appropriate to include a reference from a long time family friend and mentor, she has an extensive educational history, she knows me really well and for over 10 years and has watched my desire for nursing grow. They said no family so do you think that would be acceptable, since she technically isn't family?

I am also considering asking a fellow coworker to do one for me, she does the same thing I do for the university but she is older than me and used to be an RN. She is very fond of me and I am sure she would speak highly about me. Do you think that would be acceptable, even though she wouldn't be considered a supervisor?

Sorry for the epic novel, but I'm just hoping to present the best references possible. Any suggestions and person experiences with this would be great to hear!!!

Thanks!

[JettaDP]

If you are certain that you are going to enter a nursing program at some point, I would still to get your references from the Biology department. They can't fire you for asking for a reference. They may not like that you may leave, but they certainly can't stop you. But if you have any doubt about whether you will actually end up staying in your current job instead of going to nursing school, I wouldn't jeopardize it.

Maybe you could get one reference from your pld job, not to show health care experience but to show your work ethics and reliability and so on. As far as having your long-time friend, I just don't know. It's risky but if she is the best person who can honestly speak highly off your desire for nursing, then maybe she would be a good reference.